Phone Lost or Stolen on Vacation? 5 Things You Need to Do

You can never be too careful when it comes to your smartphone. Losing it could be very stressful, because the devices are quite expensive and contain your personal data. Today, a smartphone is much more than a means of communication. That device contains our contacts, passwords and many other data. We can say that our whole life is in it. That’s why losing a phone is one of the most stressful situations for any owner. The Internet is full of useful information on precautions and protection measures.

So there are plenty of ways to protect your device from theft or loss. However, even if you lose it, don’t worry because there is a solution. It is especially difficult to be in such a situation while traveling, but such things happen to everyone. You are not the only one who has faced the loss of smartphones. We will suggest several simple ways to find your phone if you have lost it.

1. Turn on the Play Sound option

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Select the Play Sound option and the phone will play the ringtone at maximum volume for 5 minutes. This will help you find your lost phone indoors or outdoors. This method works one hundred percent. It will work even if you previously turned on Silent mode or just vibrate. Carelessness is common in exhausting journeys. Imagine that after a long flight or drive, you finally get to your hotel room and start unpacking. If you have small children, the whole process is even more complicated.

They require all your attention, and you have a lot of work to do besides them. That’s when we can become forgetful and overwhelmed, and that’s when things are most easily lost. However, don’t overreact. First, check if the smartphone is in your immediate vicinity. Maybe it was your youngest child who threw it behind the bed. You wouldn’t believe how often this happens. Fortunately, it is enough to use this option.

2. Track device location by phone number

If your smartphone is definitely not in your surroundings, you are probably starting to panic. Stop it now and act fast. Before you block all phone functions, delete data and the like, do something else. Overcome the feeling of fear and try to locate the device using your mobile number. Of course, it is preferable to call this number first. However, there are very few lucky people who have solved the problem in this way.

There’s even a chance that someone else might hear it and steal your device, and we’re sure you don’t want that to happen to you. We have a better suggestion for you. All you need to do is find is to visit this website, enter your phone number and wait a few minutes. By using this service, you don’t have to worry about internet connection, enable location, etc.

3. Finding the phone through a Google account

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Another useful tip is to use a Google account in case you lose your smartphone. However, this will only work if you remain signed in to your account through the device. The smartphone must also be connected to the Internet. If all is well with that, you should open your account and click on your lost phone.

Be focused if you have multiple telephones connected to one account, because you can easily make a mistake due to stress. When you click on the right mobile device, a map will open and you will see where the phone is located. All basic information about the phone such as its name, last time it was active, battery status, etc. should be displayed here.

4. Change the data on the phone

Finally, if you can’t locate the device, remove sensitive data from it immediately. The first thing you should do is change your passwords. This applies to your email account and social media. Otherwise, someone else will access your private information and misuse it. Do not forget to cancel the cards that are connected to the device. Online banking is the first target of fraudsters, because they know they have little time to steal all your information.

Given that online banking is the most common payment method today, Apple, Google Pay and everything else is most at risk. It is also important to log out of Cloud Services. It is the place where most of the data like photos, contacts and everything else is stored. It’s best to log out and change your password just in case.

5. Delete all data from smartphones

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If you want to be one hundred percent sure, delete all data from the device. This is especially recommended for people who store sensitive business or private data. Every phone has an Erase Device option, but after that you won’t be able to find the phone. So do this only if you have to and keep it as a last resort. When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to establish good navigation because you have little knowledge of your surroundings. That’s why it’s smart to report your phone theft to the police and don’t delay.

Conclusion:

Unfortunately, there aren’t many options for finding a phone if you don’t think about it in time. Once you’ve lost your device, it’s hard to start a search with nothing. For example, if you don’t have a tracking app installed, you probably won’t be able to determine the location. Even if you have done this, your device must be connected to the Internet in order to locate it. In case you were unlucky, you can always contact your mobile operator and eventually the police.

By the time you do all that, someone with bad intentions has probably already taken possession of your smartphone. So, the most important thing is to act quickly as soon as you notice that your phone is missing. Tracking via a mobile phone number proved to be the most effective method. It will only take you a few minutes, and you don’t have to think about the Internet and other things.